Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer on Monday delivered the city’s annual budget address to residents, business and community leaders gathered at City Hall.
Dyer said Orlando is currently in the best financial shape of any major city in Florida because of the tough decisions taken to reduce the size of government.
“For more than two years now, we have rolled up our sleeves every day to make the difficult but necessary decisions that have reduced the size of our government and allowed us to live within our means,” said Dyer.
Through the toughest days of the recession, Orlando like other local governments, when revenues plunged, reduced the size of government and eliminated services, while maintaining critical investments in important areas like police, fire, and public works. The City also achieved balanced budgets during this time without raising taxes.
According to Dyer, this careful planning has kept Orlando on firm footing and brought the city into this early period of recovery. As well, the new 2011/2012 will contain no additional cuts or reductions in services and no increase in taxes.
“We are, once again, holding the line on taxes and keeping money in the pockets of our residents,” Dyer declared.
Dyer said that the new budget is a “basics” budget and one that allows the City to continue to perform the functions of government that people depend on every day. These services–crime prevention and responding to emergencies; maintaining roads, parks and sidewalks; protecting residents and visitors and providing infrastructure necessary for people to go about their lives–will be performed at the highest levels possible.
“I want our residents to see where their money goes, why that spending is important to out city and how it provides a benefit to them,” said Dyer. “I want our residents to be proud that they live in a well-run, fiscally responsible city that is as careful with a dollar as they are.”
Two public hearings on the proposed 2011/2012 budget will be held on September 12 and 19, at Orlando City Council Chambers. After the second public hearing the Orlando City Council will adopt the 2011/2012 budget and millage rate.
